Look for Eagles to get back to controlling line of scrimmage on offense this year.

PHILADELPHIA — Regardless of whether one believes the theory that the Philadelphia Eagles will be better off with DeMarco Murray than they were last year with LeSean McCoy, there is one major aspect to the change they made at running back that cannot be disputed: The coaches like Murray's square-shoulder running style (and maybe even his personality) more than McCoy's.

Period.

And that reveals more than anything else why they saw fit to trade McCoy to Buffalo for linebacker Kiko Alonso before rewarding Murray with a five-year, $40 million contract as their top offensive free-agent acquisition of the offseason.

"He's a perfect fit for us, exactly what we want to do," running backs coach Duce Staley said during organized team activities last week. "Downhill, full-steam ahead, that's what we're preaching every day. One, two, three, four yards and a cloud of dust. All the backs we have, they're able to do that."

Of all those others Staley alluded to, Ryan Mathews fits the description best when he's not sidelined with some sort of injury.

Like Murray, Mathews is new to the team this year and also should figure prominently in the offense along with Darren Sproles, acquired last year in free agency.

All three are strong and solid, even if Sproles is only 5-foot-6. Murray goes 6-0, 217. Mathews (6-0, 220) is nearly identical in build.

Three-headed monster?

Staley, who as an Eagles player was part of a similar configuration with an identical label featuring Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter in 2003, can easily visualize the comparisons.

"We all challenged each other,'' Staley said, and that's what these guys are doing here already. We had three good running backs who could all run, who could all catch and could all block. We would throw screens to Westbrook or me, and Buck would run the ball. It was kind of a game of chess.''

That '03 team might have gone to the Super Bowl if Westbrook (torn biceps) hadn't been lost for the season before the playoffs began or quarterback Donovan McNabb (ribs) had been healthy and able to finish the NFC championship game, which ended with the Carolina Panthers winning a 14-3 decision.

This team just wants to get back to the playoffs after a late-season collapse triggered a massive shakeup in football operations and a subsequent aggressive roster overhaul by head coach Chip Kelly in his first year with absolute power.

Hence the addition of Murray and as many as four other starters to go with perhaps six more starters promoted from within.

What it almost certainly means for Murray is a reduced workload from the one he rode to the NFL rushing title as a Dallas Cowboy last season. He had a league-high 392 carries to go with his 1,845 yards.

But in keeping with the culture Kelly is attempting to build, Murray welcomes the change from his solo act.

"I was always in a rotation anyway, really, until last year," Murray said. "… I can handle that. We have good backs here. It's going to work out."

Especially if Mathews can stay healthy.

The sixth-year back has had two seasons of 1,000-plus yards with the San Diego Chargers but last year missed 10 games and has only played a full season once.

For that matter, the same has been true of Murray.

By contrast, McCoy has been one of the most durable backs in the league, missing only five games in six seasons and starting all 16 in each of the last two.

No matter. It seems the plan is for the Eagles to lean more heavily on their running backs this season than in Kelly's first two as coach, even if their offensive line is compromised by the absence of both starting guards from last season, Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis. Both were let go by Kelly for no compensation.

"These guys aren't foreign to catching the ball out of the backfield, either," quarterback Mark Sanchez said of the running backs. "Whether it's on a check-down or they're the primary guy, Chip has a ton of plays for the running backs. We want to put our foot down on the gas pedal and let those guys make some plays."

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur provided a hint of what's to come when all the Eagles assistant coaches met with the media early this month.

"As time's gone on I think at running back, I really believe it takes a village," Shurmur said. "If you play the season, you need one, two, three and maybe four guys. They're a key part of what we do offensively. So to have a group that we feel has improved here in the offseason, now it's just a matter of getting them all up to speed as quickly as we can so they can master what we're doing."

Next week marks the start of mandatory minicamp, the team's final tuneup before training camp, which begins in August this year.

When it does, look for heavy doses of Murray and Mathews with a little Sproles mixed in too.